Record adapter and automatic speed changer



Ik i? A July 2l, 1953 H. a. WEINGARDEN I RECORD ADAPTER AND AUTOMATIC SPEED CHANGER Filed Sept. 25. 1950 A SL/ AJ, vez 603 L59 INVENTOR. 49'/\, A (6I HERBERT wemcnnoeu.

*rammed July 21, 195s il UNITED sTArr.

RECORD ADAPTER AND ATOMATIC SPEED CHAN G i Y Herbert B. Weingaraen, Detroit, Mich.

`Application September 23, 1950, Serial No. 186,369

This invention relates to a record support or adaptor for the disc type record which is commonly used upon record players in conjunction with a tone arrnand the required needle. More particularly the invention relates to an adaptor device for the new seven inch forty-rive revolun tion per minute record to thereby adapt the same to standard equipment such as the holder and automatic adaptor ingmachines normally Y equipped for the automatic changing of the standard ten inch seventy-eight R. P. M. records.

The pres-ent adaptor disc for securing and supporting the seven inch forty-iive R. P. M. record will fit into thestandard ten inch record holder; The vseven inch record having a central opening of one and one-half inches in diametenthe present adaptor device includes a portion having a central transverse opening of Vthe standard is ,inch.

inch record into the present adaptor and make the same adaptable to fit any standard playing machine which is'able to take the conventional ten inch record.

vlt is the object of the present invention to effect a reduction Yin the'player tone arm Weight so that it'plays lighteron the forty-five R. P. M. seven inch record than on the standard ten inch seventyfeight R. P. M. record. This-is accom- It is thus possible to insert the seven Y 2 claims. (c1. 27g-9) 2 and the needle engage the adaptor .for such seven inch record. I

It is the further object of this invention to provide a means for automatically switching the speed-of rotation of the turntable driving motor which is controlled by an eccentric track onvthe surface of the adaptor. Such'eccentric groove is adapted to operate the tone arm causing such movementthereof as will operate a switch either of the mechanical or electrical vtype for chang-A ing speeds of rotation of said turntable.

Itis the still further object of the present invention to provide an. adaptor construction wherebythe Vseven-inchV record may be played Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating the mechanism for accomplishing automatic change plished` automatically by recessing thepresent adaptor device so as to receive and position the seven inch record below the tcp surface of the adaptor so that more or" the weight of the tone arm is taken up by the supporting spring.

It is the iurtherobject'of thepresent invention te provide a needle track upon the adaptor surface which eventually leads to the starter grooves of -the seven inch record within the adaptorA without making anyfurther adjustments to the machine. Y

It is the further object of this invention Vto provide an adaptor device which will hold the seven inch record so that the reverse side of its playing surface is not touched by any surface which would be harmful thereto.

It is the further object ofi this invention toprovide an .eccentric groove upon the surface of the adaptorwwhich so controls the movements of the tone arm of the player so as to operate an electrical switch which will slow the turn -table motor down to the required speed whenever a seven inch forty-liveV R.. P. M. record is played.' it being understood that vthe present adaptor and the record therein may be intermixed with` other ten inch records but that the slowing down will only occur when the tone arm of speed of the` .turntable motor under the control of V'the tone arm `operated by the grooves of the present adaptor. Fig. 5 is a section on line 6-5 of Fig. 1; and Y Fig. '7 is a section on line'i-T of Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely apreferred embodiment of the lin venticn and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims here-'- after set out. Y

Referring to the drawingthe seven inch fortyve R. P.' M. record Il with central enlarged opening I2 is positioned within the adaptor construction shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Said adaptor includes the relatively rigid metallic disc i3 which has a standard size nine thirty-second inch opening i4 at its central portion Which'will receive the upright conventional sten'l of the playing machine turntable.

l. The annular ring' i5 preferably constructed of a plastic material, of theV same outside'diameter as disc i3, has an interior diameter deiining the circular openingv I6 which is of such size as to freely receive the seven inch record Il. It Will be noted that there is provided a soft flexible annular ring il of ocking or other fabric which is positioned upon the top surface of the metaliic disc I3 and provides a protective support for said seven inch record.

A. second, preferably plastic, disc I8 is mounted and secured upon the ring I5, the latter being suitably secured to disc I5, and the outside diameter of the disc I8 coincides with the outside diameters of members I3 and I5. Furthermore the general interior diameter of the top disc I8 is the same substantially as the diameter of the record II defining the central opening 20 which receives said record. However it will be notedy that a pair or oppositely arranged record holddown lips i9 extend from the interior portion of the disc i8 as shown in Fig. 1 and are of general arcuate shape. lt may be necessary to slightly flex theV record II in order to insert the same within the opening I6 of disc I5 and under the lips IS.

The adaptor top surface I8 has formed therein a plurality of continuous starter grooves ZI which are initially engaged by the depending needle of the player tone arm and prevent the same from sliding across the record. The inner of said grooves 2l joins the eccentric groove 22 which has a portion at 23 of minimumk radius and which thereafter continues to a subsequent portion of maximum radius as at 24. This eccentric groove joins the forty-five R. P. M. lead-in grooves 26 by the intermediate groove 25. The innermost of the lead-in grooves 2S extends through a portion of one of the hold-down lips I9, which portion is designated at 27.

It will be noted that the record I I is positioned below the surface of the disc I8, and in order that there shall be a smooth non-bumping lead onto the starter grooves 28 of the seven inch record, the groove 2l is gradually and downwardly tapered as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. The groove 2l' at its end is substantially through the thickness of the lip I9 so that the needle freely rides down into the starter groove 28 of the seven inch forty-five R. P. M. record II. Y

The above described point 23 of eccentrici groove 22 causes the tone arm to move to a certain position towards the center of the turntable to thereby pick up a contact point 59 hereafter described whereas the subsequent portion 2f! of said eccentric groove causes a movement of the tone arm in the opposite direction so that the saine engages and now closes the point contact S with respect to the lead 60 hereafter described in connection with Fig, 5.

It is thus the purpose of the eccentric groove 22 to thus cause momentary closing of the contact point 59 to momentarily energize the coil of a relay switch hereafter to be described. Said relay switch through certain other electrical mechanism is adapted to change the speed of rotation of the turntable motor 5I to correspond with the required speed such as forty-five R.. P. M. for the seven inch record.

Again referring to Fig. 1 the starter grooves 28 terminate in the lead-in groove 29 going into the regular playing grooves 30 of the seven inch record. It will be noted that the playing grooves terminate in the central turn-off grooves 3l of minimum radius at the central portion of the record I I and this causes such positioning of the tone arm that it will be automatically and in a conventional manner lifted from the surface of the record and returned to its linitial outward position so that its needle may engage the starter grooves of either a ten inch record to be automatically substituted for the present adaptor device CII l or for starter grooves such as grooves 2i of a second seven inch record adaptor device.

lIhe present invention also includes the abovementioned control through the eccentric groove 2& 2 i-Zi which, indirectly through the operation of the tone arm and certain other electrical switching mechanism, causes an automatic reduction of the speed of rotation of the turntable motor.

Normally the turntable motor 5I shown in Fig. 5 would be directly connected into a terminal strip within the player and would operate under 110 volts to obtain a seventy-eight R. P. M. for the conventional standard record. By the present invention it is necessary to effect an automatic reduction or the voltage to approximately to 35 volts for example to thereby produce a decreased speed of rotation of the motor to thereby achieve the necessary forty-five R. P. M. for the seven inch record. In this connection it is contemplated that any other desired voltage condition may be obtained to thereby produce the desired speed of rotation of the aforesaid motor 5I. Y

rihe reduction in voltage in the present instance is accomplished by a step down transformer associated with a rheostat di, the primary being designated at i2 and the secondary of said transformer being designated at t3. Suitable relay mechanism is required whereby upon the closing or contact point 59 the relay mechanism will be energized switching the electrical circuit through the transformer.

As shown in Fig. 5 tone arm T, its needle N and the contacter C are diagrammatically illustrated and are associated with the control contact points 58 and 59. In the operation of the player the contact engages `the electrical lead 5l just as soon as the needle engages the starter grooves 2l oi the present adaptor or a similar groove in the conventional ten inch record.

Assuming the conventional record is being played the electrical circuit through the motor 5I includes the plug 4S connecting 110 volt source, lead 4Q, lead Lit, contact 5l, switch 43 and lead t9 to the receptacle 59. Joined to said receptacle are the two motor leads 50 and 52 with the circuit being completed through lead 53, switch 54, Contact 5,5 and lead i5 back to the plug fit.y

This is the normal circuit if the ten inch record A is played and this is also the normal circuit which energizes turntable motor 5I with the needle N riding in the starter grooves 2i of the adaptor I8.

As the needle rides in the eccentric groove 22-23-25 the above described reversal of position of the tone arm T taires place to effect a teinporary engagement of the contact point 59` with the lead d8, to thereby initially energize a relay switch mechanism, and which has the ei'ect of closing the electrical circuit in the secondary coil d3 of the transformer.

The electrical circuit will then be as follows: lead through contact point 55, through lead 57 and contact 58, and due to the magnetic action of the relay coil t3 switch 58 will engage the contact S2, and thence through relay coil E3, lead 6d' and back to the secondary 4S of theV transformer.

Contact point 59 is momentarily in engagement with lead 5i! but this is long enough to energize relay coil 63 which will hold contact 58 closed relative to switch t2 after which said relay coil is self energized.

This is apparent as the contact 59 again is opened but electrical power from the secondary 43 travels through the lead 65, contact point 56,

- pole 6l.

lead 51 and contact point 5s which is dosed A relative to switch l$2, with the circuit' completed through relay coil E3 and lead 54. At the same engaging the pole 68 and with 54 engaging the The electrical circuit to the motor 5l is now through the relay circuit and current flows through lead 69 from the secondary, through pole 61, switch 54 tothe receptacle 49,through leads 52 and 50 to and from the motor 5i, through lead 49, switch 48 and pole 98 and lead S5 back to the secondary winding 43 of the transformer.

When the needle on the tone arm T reaches the cut-.01T grooves 3l contact 55 is opened and this causes a deenergization of the relay coil so that the contacts 58, 48 and 54 automatically return to the position shown in Fig. 5 and at the same time the arm is thrown back to its rest position.

The present invention also includes the stroboscope, or series of spaced dots or circles 59 which are arranged in a circle as shown and are of such size and number that upon rotation of the presf ent adaptor, the desired'R. P. M. such as fortyve R. P. M. for a seven inch record, is automatically indicated. This is accomplished by a conventionalstroboscope construction which requires the illumination of an infra-red or equivalent vpower source and connected to said motor to `energize the same ior driving vsaid turn-table at a pre-determined speed, a second electrical circuit including a step-down transformerwith the primary connected to said power source, a double pole double throw Vrelay switch including stationary switch contacts in said first and secrtone arm connected through said second circuit with said secondary, said contactor being momentarilyV engageable with said coil Contact for. energizing said magnetic control coil, said coil rendering said relay switch self-energizing for maintaining said second circuit closed.

2. In combination with an automatic record changer and a playing machine having a turntable, a, driving motor therefor and a needle carrying tone arm; and electrical circuits joined to a power source and connected to said motor to energize the same for driving said turn-table at a pre-determined speed, a second electrical circuit including a step-down transformer with the primary connected to said power source, a double pole double throw relay switch including stationary switch contacts in said rst and second circuits and movable contacts for alternately closing said iirst and second circuits, the secondary of said rtransformer being connected through a pair or" said stationary switch contacts to said motor, a magnetic control coil in said second circuit adapted to operate said movable contacts for switching energization of said motor from said iirst circuit to said second circuit whereby said motor driven turn-table is rotated at a reduced speed, a stationary contact conv nected with said coil, Ya contactor on said tone ond circuits and movable contacts for alternately f said second circuit adapted to operate said movable contacts for switching energization of said motor from said rst circuit to said second circuit whereby said motor driven turn-table is rotated at a reduced speed, a stationary contact connected with said coil, and a contactor on said arm connected through said second circuit with said secondary, said contactor being momenable upon said turn-table and cooperable withY said record changer and tone arm, and having an eccentric needle groove cooperable with said rneedle carrying tone arm to efiecta momentary switching movement of said tone arm contactor to energize said magnetic coil.

HERBERT B. WEINGARDEN.

References Cited in the le of this patentv 2,526,188 Andres OC. A1'7, 

